Why in news
- Parliament passed the Tribunal Reforms Bill, 2026, establishing the National Tribunal Commission (NTC) as an overarching regulatory body for quasi-judicial tribunals.
What is the background of Tribunal Reforms?
- The Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021 previously governed the selection, appointment, and tenure conditions of members across various tribunals.
- In November, the Supreme Court struck down core provisions of the 2021 Act for violating judicial independence and separation of powers by granting executive control over appointments.
- The Supreme Court mandated the creation of an independent statutory body to oversee appointments and administrative functioning.
Key provisions of the 2026 Legislation
- Repeals the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021 and establishes the National Tribunal Commission (NTC) as an independent apex regulator.
- Transfers member appointment and selection oversight from executive ministries to the NTC framework.
- Standardizes terms of service, tenure, and disciplinary procedures across specialized benches such as NCLT and Consumer Courts.
Why it matters
- Addresses structural deficiencies in quasi-judicial functioning while upholding Article 50 (**Separation of Powers**).
- Aims to reduce pendency of litigation in High Courts and the Supreme Court by streamlining tribunal administration.
Key terms
Quasi-judicial Body
An entity other than a court authorised to hold hearings and conduct adjudication on specialized regulatory disputes.
Separation of Powers
A constitutional doctrine preventing concentration of authority by keeping legislative, executive, and judicial branches distinct.
Prelims facts
- Tribunal Reforms Bill 2026 repeals the 2021 Act to establish the National Tribunal Commission.
Mains discussion
- Evaluate the role of the National Tribunal Commission in safeguarding judicial independence and operational efficiency.
Source: LiveMint
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
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2016 · Q8 · GS II · 12 marks
What is quasi judicial body? Explain with the help of concrete examples. -
2025 · Q2 · GS II · 10 marks
Comment on the need of administrative tribunals as compared to the court system. Assess the impact of the recent tribunal reforms through rationalization of tribunals made in 2021. -
2025 · Q8 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements: I. India accounts for a very large portion of all equity option contracts traded globally thus exhibiting a great boom. II. India's stock market has grown rapidly in the recent past even overtaking Hong Kong's at some point of time. III. There is no regulatory body either to warn the small investors about the risks of options trading or to act on unregistered financial advisors in this regard. Which of the statements given above are correct? -
2022 · Q79 · General Studies · 2 marks
With reference to the "Tea Board" in India, consider the following statements: 1. The Tea Board is a statutory body. 2. It is a regulatory body attached to the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. 3. The Tea Board's Head Office is situated in Bengaluru. 4. The Board has overseas offices at Dubai and Moscow. Which of the statements given above are correct? -
2019 · Q74 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements: 1. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is the first regulatory body set up by the Government of India. 2. One of the tasks of PNGRB is to ensure competitive markets for gas. 3. Appeals against the decisions of PNGRB go before the Appellate Tribunals for Electricity. Which of the statements given above are correct?